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Cozy Beef and Barley Soup

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A hearty and soothing soup featuring tender beef and chewy pearl barley, perfect for cold nights and easy to prepare with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare your ingredients: Chop the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cut the beef into roughly 1-inch cubes. Rinse the barley under cold water if preferred to remove excess starch. This prep takes about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Brown the beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes in batches to avoid crowding and brown evenly, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Set browned beef aside.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot, reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute, avoiding burning.
  4. Add tomato paste and deglaze: Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in about 1/2 cup beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits.
  5. Combine everything: Return browned beef to the pot. Add pearl barley, remaining 5 1/2 cups beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Simmer: Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Check barley and beef tenderness after 30 minutes and continue simmering if needed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  7. Season and finish: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Optionally, add a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
  8. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad.

Notes

For richest flavor, brown the beef well. Keep simmer gentle to avoid toughening meat and cloudy broth. Rinsing barley helps prevent gumminess. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Let soup rest 10-15 minutes off heat before serving. If soup thickens when cooled, stir in warm broth or water before reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef soup, barley soup, comfort food, cold weather recipe, easy soup, hearty soup, winter soup

Find it online: https://zoeplate.com/cozy-beef-and-barley-soup-recipe-easy-comfort-food-for-cold-nights/